Monday, 27 January 2014

iSee on Apple Hot News page in Australia

Well besides making it in to What Is Hot in the iTunes Store the other week, my book iSee (Getting Started with Apple products from a Blind Perspective) made it in to the Hot News list on the Australian Apple website.

30 years Mac from Macworld

Over the week end, the Mac celebrated 30 years.

Whilst my first Apple computer was an Apple IIE, in 1984 (and not a Mac), I have had a number of Macs over the years including a Mac se and a LC 575 (all in one) in the 90’s, and then after 2005, a Mac mini, iMac, Macbook pro and a Macbook air (the last 3 of which I still have today).

Apple's Q1 Quarterly Results

Why Fleksy VO

Recently the developers of Fleksy (pattern recognition typing app for iOS) released a separate copy of their app for users of VoiceOver on iOS.

It seems that there are two schools of thought whether having a separate app for VoiceOver users is a good idea or not. On the one hand, the app will get specific development for VoiceOver. On the other hand, this version may be left behind as the “real” app keeps on being developed.

The following link is from the Fleksy developer blog outlining their position.

This really did catch the AT industry by surprise. It will certainly cause Freedom Scientific to perhaps think their position of how much JAWS For Windows continues to cost.

With Window-Eyes For Microsoft Office, your getting a thousand dollar screen reader for free, and even if you have to buy a license of Microsoft Office, you still come out on top.

It seems to me, that Microsoft is in the process of using 3rd party technology to make their products more accessible. For instance, Code Factory recently announced Mobile Speak for Windows Phone. However, giving people the opportunity to use a fully featured screen reader for free, is tremendous, particularly for people who are blind who don’t have the funds to purchase a screen reader for home, education or employment. Mind you, using existing expertise is a great thing anyway, why re-event the wheel when you don’t have to.

Main features of the free Window-Eyes for Office include:

1. Free downloadable version. Free Cd version can be purchased.

2. Supports Windows 8/8.1, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Does not support Windows RT, and whilst you can run it on a Surface pro, remember that Window-Eyes does not support touch screens at the moment.

3. Compatible with Microsoft Office 2010/2013, and Microsoft Office 365 when the local client is installed. Without a valid Microsoft Office license, will run in 30 demo mode. Window-Eyes will detect automatically if there is a valid office license on your machine.

4. Comes with the eSpeak synthesiser, and works with the Microsoft built-in synthesiser. Additional voices can be purchased.

5. Window-Eyes supports Multiple languages.

6. No CD or Braille/large print keystroke guides. All can be purchased for a fee.

7. Installation support is free. Continuing support can be paid by incident for $25 or 12 incidents for 99 dollars.

8. Upgrades via download. Upgrade CD can be purchased.

9. Can not install the retail version on the same machine.

10 If you use GW Connect (Skype client from GW Micro), you will still get the ads.

choose your language, and activate the Download Now button. Once downloaded, run the install program, follow the talking instructions, and off you go (at least in theory). When I tried to install on two machines, I kept getting a driver error, and my machine rebooting. Will be following this up with GW Micro. The other two folks on the AT Help Desk at Vision Australia I should say had no trouble installing the free version.

Note - with some assistance from the other AT Help Desk folks, was able to by-pass the problem, which we think is the install program trying to install MS Speech for the talking install.

Launch of my book: iSee: All you need to know to getting started with Apple products from a blind perspective.

My first go at using iBooks Author to create a multi-touch book, readable on iPad or Mac, still some VoiceOver issues with iPad mini VoiceOver reading: but all part of the accessibility journey in creating a book, rather than just reading one (smile).

Since it was in iTunes, downloaded 225times: free.

Covering:

Introduction: what is in this book, and my trip through time with adaptive technology,